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Election year will not slow down governance in Lagos State – Ambode

Lagos State Governor,
Akinwunmi Ambode Thursday allayed the fears in some quarters that the
electioneering activities in 2018 might slow down the tempo of infrastructural
development being witnessed across the State, assuring that his administration
will complete all ongoing projects and implement new ones.

Speaking at the
opening session of a three-day retreat for members of the State Executive
Council, Body of Permanent Secretaries and heads of government agencies and
parastatals held at Jubilee Chalet, Epe, Governor Ambode said rather than allow
campaign activities to relegate governance, the State Government would stay
focused on plans and programmes for the people and ensure that steady progress
was achieved.

The Governor said
though a lot had been achieved with the active support and collaboration of the
participants at the retreat since his assumption of office, a lot more still
needed to be done to ensure continuous prosperity of the State and residents.

According to him,
“Clearly, we have recorded some modest successes and consolidated on the status
of our State as one of the foremost commercial and social hubs in sub Saharan
Africa. We are gradually changing the face of Lagos through our aggressive
infrastructural development, urban regeneration and sectoral reforms.

“All the development
indices, both local and international, reflect the fact that we are making
steady progress with very bright outlook for the foreseeable future. This
progress is not the result of only one person’s efforts. It was not achieved by
only Akinwunmi Ambode. It was achieved by all of us in this room with the
cooperation of many others outside. And for this, I commend each and every one
of you for your diligence and contribution to the progress made thus far.
However, there is still a lot more to be done. I hear people saying that this
is an election year and that governance will slow down but let me assure you
that in this State, we will stay focused on our plans and programmes and ensure
steady progress is achieved,” Governor Ambode said.

Alluding to the fact
that the theme of the retreat – “Effective Strategic Planning For An Emerging
Smart City,” was carefully selected, Governor Ambode charged participants to
start thinking of the next level even as his administration was making efforts
to complete all on-going projects, just as he said that the retreat was
designed to take stock of past achievements and brainstorm on the challenges
ahead.

He said it was certain
that Lagos was emerging as smart city, but that the challenge on effectively
and strategically planning to actualize the vision considering the peculiar
challenges of the State, adding that to plan effectively and strategically
required thinking not just outside the box but globally and acting it locally.

To this end, the
Governor said participants must look beyond the borders of the State for ideas
and consider all local situation and as well do things differently and ready to
be called names and to encounter resistance, saying they must however remain
steadfast and let posterity judge their actions and intentions, adding that
someday, the resistance would become support and endorsement.

“We are all well-aware
that the last Two and a Half years have been borne with a lot of sectoral
reforms and majorly successful. However, reforms are not static and they
require continuous review as the society we live in is also not static. Some of
our reforms remain challenging because of institutional difficulties and
corruption. We presently experience this in some of our on-going reforms. My
message remains the same. Our conviction is resolute. We are totally for
inclusive governance. This is a people-government and what would be of benefit
to the majority of the citizenry should be our primary goal. Building effective
and efficient institutions should be our goal henceforth. The institutional
framework that will drive a successful MDA is what should be of concern to all
of us. Institutions that are enduring should outlive me or anyone of us,
likewise our reforms in the various sectors,” the Governor said.

Besides, Governor
Ambode lauded the harmonious working relationship between the executive and
legislative arms of government in the State, just as he assured that the State
Government would give special attention to energy, environment and education sectors
in the next nine months.

“If you look at the
landscape of Nigeria presently, the best collaboration between executive and
legislative arms of government is from the Lagos model because we are all
supporting each other and that is why you see that there is remarkable progress
in Lagos. That is also why we think most importantly that the energy sector,
the environment sector and education sector are the key areas that we should
look at in 2018 and what you will see in the next nine months, you will be
proud of Lagos,” Governor Ambode assured.

On her part, Head of
Service, Mrs Folashde Adesoye said the retreat was organised for all the MDAs
to come together and brainstorm on how to achieve the set goals for the State
in 2018, and also do more for the people.

Election year will not slow down governance in Lagos State – Ambode
Reviewed by peace duke
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January 25, 2018
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